Stories from Saturday, January 14, 2006

McCook City Council members will be asked to be a co-applicant on a federal grant to renovate the Keystone Hotel in downtown McCook. The request will be part of the regular meeting Monday night at 7:30 at the city council chambers. The McCook Economic Development Corp. is asking the city be a co-applicant for a $985,000 federal grant to rehabilitate the Keystone Hotel in downtown McCook...

Carol down at the Rocket Inn in Indianola told me she wished I would write more about relationships and less about politics. That's probably a good idea. Based on the responses the paper receives whenever I write a political column, I appear to be out on an island by myself, especially in this neck of the woods...

In response to Mike Hendricks' column "BAC and New Year's Eve," I feel a duty to respond. I am the police chief in La Vista, Neb., a suburb bordered by Omaha to the north and Bellevue to the east. There are approximately 750,000 people in our metro area. I've been a police officer for 22 years and I am a member of the Nebraska State Board of Mothers Against Drunk Driving...

McCook wins fifth game of the season; Jillian Bryant scores 17 The McCook High School girls basketball team jumped out to a 32-18 halftime lead and withstood an 18-9 run by Hastings to defeat the Tigers 49-40 Friday night at the MHS gymnasium. The McCook girls improved to 5-8...

NORTH PLATTE -- The McCook High School boys basketball team's bid to win its fourth straight game fell short Friday night at the North Platte gymnasium. North Platte handed the Bison a 63-48 loss. McCook played without the services of 6-foot-1 senior guard Tony Purvis, who earlier Friday announced his intention to sign a football letter of intent at Kansas State University and was making a scheduled recruiting trip to Manhattan...

ELWOOD -- Arapahoe remains undefeated after romping to a 69-31 win over Elwood in boys basketball play here Friday. Tony Braithwait and Blake Maaske each pumped in 20 points to led the winning Warriors in scoring. Teammate Ryan Stagemyer added 12 points...

CAMBRIDGE -- Matt Shaner, the golf professional at Cross Creek Golf Links in Cambridge, has resigned after four years at the club. He will be leaving to enter the financial services field in Grand Island. Shaner's golf career has also included playing in three Nike (now Nationwide) Tour events and appearances on the Prairie Tour...

CURTIS -- The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture (NCTA) men's basketball team started out with a "hot hand" from the field as the Aggies defeated Frontier Bible at Lagrange, Wyo., on Wednesday and Summit College of Scottsbluff Thursday. The Aggies won over Frontier 67-61 and over Summit College 131-71. The 131 points is a school record...

SUTHERLAND -- The McCook JV wrestling team competed well at the Sutherland wrestling tournament on Tuesday. Nine Bison wrestlers placed in the top two. "This really shows the improvement and potential that we have in the freshmen through junior level," said McCook wrstling coach Nick Umscheid. "These guys have been working extremely hard in the practice room and it's good to see that their hard work is paying off...

BENKELMAN -- Amanda Fries and Bradley Osborn, both of Lincoln, were united in marriage Saturday, Aug. 13, 2005, at the United Methodist Church in Benkelman with the Rev. Brian Fong officiating. Parents of the couple are Rich and Val Fries and Jim and Lynne Osborn, all of Benkelman. Grandparents of the couple are Gene and Linda Jones, Guy and Melba Fries and Glen and Vivian Osborn, all of Benkelman, the late Paula Jones and the late Floyd and Gloria Sutherland...

Chris and Kari Dimmitt of McCook announce the birth of a son, Jacob Riley, on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2005, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long. He has a sister, Madison, 7, and a brother, Colten, 4. Grandparents are John and Linda Gull of McCook and Paul and Joann of Chandler, Ariz., and Bill Dimmitt of Buena Vista, Colo. Great-grandparents are Nelda Gull of McCook, Mereta Duncan of McCook and Patricia Dimmitt of Albuquerque, N.M...

BENKELMAN -- Katie Watt and Scott Lawson were united in marriage Saturday, Sept. 24, 2005, at the Zion Lutheran Church in Benkelman. Parents of the couple are Rex and Kathy Walgren of Wauneta, the late Charles E. Watt and Steven and Kay Lawson of Exeter...

The family of Faye (Korell) Thomas is requesting a card shower in honor of her 80th birthday. She was born Jan. 19, 1926. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 7 Parkview, McCook, NE 69001.

Rachel Hazen and Jeff Hollers of Scottsbluff announce the birth of a son, Zakk Wylde Hollers, on Saturday, Dec. 24, 2005, at Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff. He weighed 9 pounds, 10 1/2 ounces and was 21 inches long. He has two siblings, Candence and Colin Hollers of Omaha. ...

Dave and Angela Allen of McCook announce the birth of a daughter, Lainie Faith, on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2006, at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte. She weighed 11 pounds, 1 1/2 ounces and was 21 inches long. She has two sisters, Lilly, 2, and Kristin, 24, and a brother, Zachary, 27. Grandparents are Dan and Laura Peterson of Mission, S.D., Joan and Dick Dike of McCook, the late Donald Allen and the late Marian Allen...

Sept. 27, 1937--Jan. 8, 2006 WHITEFISH, Mont. -- Frank Brenner Morrison Jr. left this life on Jan. 8, 2006, in Renton, Wash. Ever the consummate attorney, he was en route home from taking a deposition in Canada, when he collapsed at the Seattle airport. Complications from emergency surgery claimed his life. He will be remembered for his love of family, the State of Montana, the Law and for his generous heart...

June 15, 1946--Jan. 6, 2006 BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. -- Robert Alexander "Bob" Daffer Jr., 59, beloved son, brother, husband, father and grandfather, passed away Friday, Jan. 6, 2006, after a brave, four-year battle with colon cancer. Born on June 15, 1946, to Robert and Marie Daffer, Bob grew up on a farm in Lebanon. ...

May 26, 1934--Jan. 12, 2006 AURORA -- Wayne Linn Allen, age 71, of Aurora, died Thursday, January 12, 2006, at Memorial Community Care in Aurora. Wayne, the son of Linn and Alfredia (Webber) Allen, was born in McCook on May 26, 1934. Wayne grew up in Cambridge and graduated from Cambridge High School...

ATWOOD -- Frances L. (Linden) Trail, 58, died Tuesday (Jan. 10, 2006) as the result of an auto accident in Atwood. She was a retired school teacher and was an assistant activity director for the Good Samaritan Center in Atwood. She was preceded in death by her husband, Fay E. Trail on Jan. 1, 2006...